David Wu returns to Portland, talks about pills, e-mails and doing his job

Oregon Rep. David Wu leaves KATU studios after his first local interview since revelations of his erratic behavior.Thomas Boyd/The Oregonian

By JANIE HAR and HARRY ESTEVE

Rep. David Wu took to live, local television on Saturday to tell viewers that he has no plans to resign and that he "can emphatically do the job" of representing the 1st Congressional District.

Wu also confirmed that he sent strange e-mails to staff in October that were written in the voice of his adolescent children, and that he did not know what kind of painkillers he took from a Portland donor, also in October.

Much of what Wu said repeated what he told "Good Morning America" earlier in the week, days after The Oregonian reported that staff had pleaded with him to seek psychiatric help right before the November election. Wu told television interviewers he was under tremendous stress last fall, apologized for inappropriate behavior and said he is taking care of himself now after receiving counseling and medication.

"I really hit a rough patch last fall in October. And I said some things, and I did some things which shouldn't have been done, and I regret that very much," Wu said to KGW's Laural Porter.

"I'm in a good place now and I'm here talking with you to reassure the folks of Oregon that I'm taking care of my family, my young kids, and my 88-year-old mom who is staying with us, and she's really taking care of us."

This is Wu's first trip to Oregon since revelations of his erratic behavior. His Oregon spokeswoman Rachel Jagoda-Brunette said he had no public events scheduled Saturday or Sunday. His Washington spokesman, Erik Dorey, said Wu focused on television because he thinks that's the best way to reach his constituents.

Wu appeared first on KGW's (8) "Straight Talk," before heading to KATU (2). Later, he interviewed live at KPTV (12) at 5 p.m. and then at KOIN for the 6 p.m. broadcast. He refused to talk to print reporters.

The congressman urged reporters to "please respect the process." When asked for details of "the process," Jagoda-Brunette said to call Dorey.

Reporters for The Oregonian have asked Wu for interviews since January, and have sent several detailed lists of questions to his office. In response, the congressman has issued two short prepared statements, one acknowledging his campaign behavior and one that he regretted taking an "alternative painkiller" from a campaign donor.

In interviews Saturday, Wu declined to specify the nature of his illness, but assured voters he was fit to serve. He was re-elected in November to a seventh term and referred to himself as the "innovation congressman."

"I'm not the president of the United States you know, with my finger on the nuclear trigger so I think that a congressman, even a congressman, gets some sphere of privacy and I'm not prepared to talk about specific medications or diagnoses," he told KATU.

In a statement to The Oregonian dated Feb. 22, Wu confirmed that he had accepted an "alternative painkiller" from a campaign donor after he left his prescription medication in Washington; he also apologized in that same statement for taking two tablets.

On Saturday, Wu said he did not know what he took, including whether the pills were Oxycodone. "If anyone says that they know what it is, then they know more than what I do," he told Porter.

Earlier, a campaign staffer confirmed to The Oregonian that the pain medication offered by the donor was Oxycodone, a prescription narcotic used to treat pain.

The only time Wu faltered on Saturday was when pressed on why he would send the following e-mails to his staff from his federally issued BlackBerry. One message was written in the name and voice of Wu's son. "Cut him some slack, man. What he does when he's wasted is send emails, not harass people he works with."

Another e-mail, purportedly signed by both children, praised a female staffer for sticking by Wu. "My Dad says you're the best because not even my Mom put up with him for [REDACTED: #] years and you have. We think you're cool."

Wu repeated on air that he had been joshing around with the kids because some staff had given him a hard time over taking "a few sips of wine." Wu also said he stopped drinking in order to lose weight but that he didn't have a substance abuse problem.

The second largest daily newspaper in Oregon, The Register-Guard, has called on Wu to resign, not for health reasons but for "lack of candor."

Asked if he plans to resign, Wu said, "No I will not. The people of Oregon selected me to do this job and I intend to perform it, and perform it well."

Trent Lutz, executive director of the Democratic Party of Oregon, declined comment on Wu's appearances Saturday. He said the party would rather wait until after Wu meets with state party chairwoman Meredith Wood Smith. That meeting is scheduled for Monday in Portland.